Exit133 is about Tacoma

7th annual South Sound Sustainability Expo reaches out to families

Got a t-shirt at home that’s seen better days? Give it a second life by attending the free South Sound Sustainability Expo on Saturday, March 1. This year, attendees are being invited to bring a light-colored t-shirt from home or buying a second-hand t-shirt at the event to screen print themselves.

The screen printing is just one of several ways the event intends to broaden its reach with more family-friendly activities this year. Plans also include a fun and educational Kids’ Corner with the Tacoma Nature Center and Slater Museum of Natural History, mini farmers market with a farmer meet-n-greet and the chance to create a reclaimed materials art project with guidance from Tinkertopia, and an expo scavenger hunt.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center, where over 80 businesses, organizations and individuals with environmentally, economically and socially sustainable practices can answer all kinds of attendee questions. Attendees also have the chance to win exciting raffle prizes donated by the Expo vendors. A line-up of workshops and short films for children and adults also helps connect attendees to resources:

10:05 –10:20 a.m. Inspiring Local Projects - Short Films

10:30 – 11:25 a.m. Backyard Chickens:Getting Started - Workshop

11:30 – 11:50 a.m. Thought-Provoking Sustainability Films

12:00 – 12:55 p.m. Solar Power: How it Works and How to Make it Work for You - Workshop

1 – 1:20 p.m. Kid-friendly Films

1:30 –2:25 p.m. Sustainable Cooking Demo - Workshop

2:30 –2:55 p.m. Tacoma’s Biggest Carbon Loser - Short Films

Last year, more than 650 people attended the event with 88 percent reporting that their expectations event had been met or exceeded.

Tacoma’s Office of Environmental Policy & Sustainability, which heads up this event, develops,promotes and implements sustainable practices through education, community partnerships and performance management. Additional sponsors and partners include Tacoma Public Utilities, Sustainable Works, University of Washington Tacoma, University of Puget Sound, and Pacific Lutheran University.